Noppakao Thai-Murfreesboro, TN

First of all, I should mention that I am by no means a connoisseur of Thai food. I like it fine. I eat it sometimes with my friends. I usually end up picking the wrong thing, which is probably why Thai food has never been one of my go-to's as far as restaurant-choosing goes. Despite my entree selection curse, I enjoy eating at this fine establishment.

I started with the Thai tea, which I had always wanted to try but never had. It's a sweetened tea blend (black tea, I assume) topped with evaporated milk. Very rich, but very tasty. It had kind of a tamarind-esque flavor. I don't usually enjoy tamarind-flavored things, but I liked this. I'd recommend trying it at least once.

I skipped the appetizers, but some of my dining crew ordered some particularly appetizing ones. The Tofu Thong (fried tofu) was really yummy, with most thanks going to its accompanying dipping sauce. I didn't try the chicken dumplings (pictured in the background), but they received positive reviews.

I ordered Pla Song Kruang for an entree. It was a piece of deep fried (not breaded, duh) trout topped with a carrot, green apple and red onion slaw with roasted peanuts served with steamed rice. I thought that the fish was good. The good frying that it took allowed it to take on a meatier texture (as Nicole pointed out). The slaw was not my favorite, but by no fault of the restaurant. It was a taste issue. I think the vinegar and the tart sweetness of the apples and carrots formed a picket line on my taste buds. However, the slaw was applauded by other diners at the table. I like to define the world in terms of two types of people: people who do like sweet pickles, and people who do not like sweet pickles. I do not. And I think this was my problem. The slaw, while very pretty and well put together, had whatever that taste is that makes me gag at the thought of sweet pickles. Thai restaurant ordering curse strikes again!

Though the waitress may not be learning my name anytime soon, I would definitely be happy to go here again. The seafood panang curry, with shrimp ,scallops, calamari, and a fish fillet in the curry sauce, is amazingly good. And their roses carved from tomatoes are as cute as the spawn of Tomkat (very very cute). Prices are moderate (my entree was $12.95). Go there and thai it out for yourself! (Don't hate me.)